


Beanie Baby Memories

by FlowerSong



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: First Fic!, Fluff, Happy birthday my red baby!, Keith's Birthday!, M/M, Not really much Hurt at the moment, hippos - Freeform, hurt/comfort?, stuffed animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 06:35:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12475604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlowerSong/pseuds/FlowerSong
Summary: Keith misses one specific thing from earth, and it might be silly but it means so much. And Lance is sweet and perfect.





	Beanie Baby Memories

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Lance Buys a Hippo Headcanon](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/331844) by sunbellas. 



> This is my first fic I've ever posted anywhere! I'm super nervous, It's just kinda word vomit! I hope it's kinda good! It's based on a tumblr prompt: http://sunbellas.tumblr.com/post/164121875357/lance-buys-keith-a-hippo-plushie-at-an-earth-store

They had needed to go to the space mall again. A stop for supplies, but also it was unspoken that the paladins could use some fun time off. This time they decided to forego the silly disguises. They began meandering about as a group, first stopping by the food court, in which Hunk got behind the counter and convinced the scary manager of Vrepit Sal’s, or whatever the space equivalent of a manager is, to let him whip up some space grub. It was unanimously delicious. Lance wanted to stop by the earth store where they got Kaltenecker, wanting to explore it a bit more, and deem whether it was authentic or not. 

Keith was quietly following along with the group. Though he may be outwardly broody and moody, he was actually quit enjoying himself, letting it show with small soft smiles whenever Pidge would enthusiastically show him something, or hiding his smile whenever Lance did something goofy. Lance was clearly bubbly and happy in this store, flittng from shelf to shelf looking at the little knick-knacks. Keith was sighing and smiling fondly. They found odd things tat also might have been junk. A car muffler, a troll doll, a twinky that is obviously very aged. And beanie babies. Kith would never admit it, but when he was very small he found comfort in stuffed animals. When he shared a home with his father and mother, he had a collection going. Not any particular kind, just any he found cute. But there was one special one in particular he carried around through every foster home, and was even sitting in his shack back home. A little purple beanie baby hippo. And so when he found an exact replica sitting on a shelf, his eyes widened and he looked at it contemplative in it. A little pit in his chest began to ache and he gingerly picked it up. He was in a small corner away from the others, and he looked around before gently cradling it to his chest. He gave a very small smile and blinked rapidly to clear his tears.

“Whatcha got there?” Lance cheerfully popped up. Keith gasped and nearly dropped the beanie baby. Lance leaned back looking at Keith openly and quizzically with his hands in his pockets. Keith cleared his throat.

“Uh-uhm...nothing.”

Lance peaked at the beanie baby which Keith was hiding.

“Haha, aaawww what a cute little stuffed animal!” lance was smirking wickedly and made a grab for it. Keith instiinctively dodged it and Lance just laughed some more, and poked keith in the sides. Keith twitched and swatted his hands away. 

“God, just drop it Lance.” Keith scowled and regretably put the toy back.

Lance looked at him with a huge question mark written all over his face. “Pfff, whatever mullet. Lance leaned back and walked away.

Looking at the time, it was decidedly time to go.

“You guys go ahead, I’m gonna buy this cow-bell for Kaltenecker!” Lance held it up and rang it obnoxiously.  
Shiro gently put his hand on the bell. “Not doing that anymore. Alright, you just come back in no later than 10 alright?” Lance nodded and waved them off.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Keith hadn’t really made a big deal of his birthday. Come to think of it, he couldn’t remember telling any of the other paladins about his birthday. But Shiro must have mentioned it, which is why at dinner, he was being sat down to a cake. Well, a food goo cake, but Hunk had done some truely magical things and it actually ended up tasting like a sweet dessert. He came back to the castle because Shiro had informed the Blade that he had some intel to pass to Keith. He did wonder why Shiro didn’t just tell the blade in the first place. This implied Kolivan knew and therefore was at least enabling Shiro. So the guy wasn’t a complete stone wall. Coran and Allura were enthralled to learn that birthdays were more or less universal between the two planets, though they enjoyed discussing the nuances between the two. Like in Altea it’s customary to have a band sing at the party. And each family had it’s own birthday song, not the generic one on earth. Allura and Coran, though they ddn’t have instruments, sang Allura’s family song to Keith, in addition to the Earth song. Keith, though he would never admit it and was god at hiding, was almost at tears. Almost. He didn’t stop his smile though, hiding it shyly beneath his palm.

Before Keith was to head back, that’s when Lance decided to pull him aside.

“Hey, Keith.”

Keith smiled at him. “Hey.”

Lance cleared his throat, and was hiding his hands behind his back. “Hi. So uh, ok, I know no one else got you a gift. Which is understandable! It’s not like we just pop over to the space mall when we feel like it, and uh, we didn’t get much warning with your b-day, but uhm..well I’ve had this for a while and I just didn’t know when to give it to you so I uh...here.”

Lance showed keith his hands and a tiny purple Hippo was perched on them. Keith blinked, face blank.

“Are..are you making fun of me?” Keith looked cautious and a little hurt.

Lance kind of started to panic. “I-I, No! No I’m actually really not this time! I..I don’t know! Just thought it’d be like a way to remind you of Earth! And, well you looked pretty inerested when you had it-”

Lance was cut off abruptly as Keith pulled him into arms, burying his face part-way into Lance’s shoulder, part-way into his chest.

“I love it...Thank you” keith whispered very softly Lance almost didn’t hear. Lance’s face was practically a tomatoe.

He was frozen for a bit, but then softly came to rest his hands on Keith’s back, afraid of spooking him. After approximately thirty seconds, Lance spoke softly.

“You’re welcome…”

Keith swallowed, becoming more aware of himself and jerked out of Lance’s hold. He cleared his throat and held his arm self-conciously. Lance could see that his eyes were wet and red-rimmed. Keith gently took it out of Lance’s hand.

“It means a lot Lance, thank you.”

Lance softened. “No problem…”

Kolivan’s voice broke over the speakers.

“Keith, your time is up. We need you back at the base.”

 

Keith looked a little lost, before speaking into his communicator, his voice coming out a bit rough.  
“Coming, Kolivan”

Keith turned to leave, but Lance grabbed his wrist.

“He-hey, uhm...when we get a chance...maybe you could tell me the meaning behind the hippo?” Lance gave a disarming grin.

The corner of Keth’s mouth twitched up. 

“Sure.” Keith hesitated for a few seconds, searching Lance’s eyes.

Just as Lance was about to say something, Keith dove in quickly, giving a short peck to Lance’s cheek. He pulled back and bit his lip blushing. Lance blinked then got a dopey love struck grin on his face, complete with a soft blush. Keith huffed a laugh then quickly left. Lance held his hand up to his cheek and gave a warm sigh.


End file.
